Method for feeding plant roots

ABSTRACT

A plant feeder having a water reservoir and a water conduit connected to the reservoir at one end. The other end of the water conduit is adapted to be positioned adjacent the roots of a plant to be fed. The water conduit has a water permeable plug with water soluble plant food therein whereby water can percolate through the conduit from the reservoir to the roots dissolving plant food on its way, and air and insects are blocked from migrating to the roots. 
     The method provides placing the other conduit end of the plant feeder of the invention below the roots of a recently transplanted plant, percolating water from the reservoir to the roots through water soluble plant food, and blocking the migration of air and insects to the roots through the conduit.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/176,093 filed on Dec.30, 1993 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,300.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains generally to a device and a method forfeeding plants. More particularly, the present invention pertains to adevice and method for feeding and watering trees at the roots.

When any plant, shrub or tree is transplanted, whether or not it will beable to survive depends upon being able to receive nourishment throughits root structure. And yet, when transplanted, typically, trees andother plants lose a critical percentage of their root structure.

Thus, it is highly desirable to provide an improved device and methodfor feeding plants to fully develop their root structure aftertransplanting.

In some geographical areas, trees and other plant life can betransplanted with little or no special attention being given toproviding water and nourishment to the transplanted plant life. However,in many other geographical areas, whether or not transplanted plant lifelives depends upon the taking of special steps to provide water andnourishment.

Thus, it is highly desirable to provide an improved device and methodfor feeding plants.

If ground-surface water is provided, as the water seeps or percolatesdownwardly toward the root level, the roots will receive the water thatis required. And, if the soil is rich in nourishment, the soil willprovide the necessary nutrients to develop the appropriate leafstructure. However, as water is supplied from the surface of the ground,the root structure will develop upwardly, as the roots reach for thewater. Then, if at some later date, surface water is discontinued, theplant, with its surface development of roots, will be unable to reachdownwardly into the earth for water.

Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a plant feeding device andmethod for feeding plants at the roots and below so as to develop rootswhich will be able to reach downwardly into the earth for water.

Further, as a transplanted tree or other plant starts to grow, leafdevelopment may exceed the ability of the root system to sustain plantlife and the plant may wither. Or, in the case of larger trees withballed roots, the transplanted tree may live, but its growth rate willbe slowed for two or three years. While the root ball is fairly massive,a considerable part of the root may have been lost when the tree wasdug, and a period of several years may be required to develop anadequate root system.

It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved tree feedingdevice and method for feeding tree roots for developing those roots upontransplanting into a healthy root system.

In this regard, food and nourishment must be provided directly to theroot system to sustain long range growth. The supplying of irrigationand food and nutrients directly to the root ball should be discontinuedafter the root system has developed adequately to supply water andnutrients to the developing foliage.

Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a plant feeder and method offeeding plants at the root ball which automatically after a period ofabout a year cease to operate and biodegrade into mulch.

It is finally highly desirable to provide an improved plant feeder andmethod for feeding plants which incorporates all of the above featuresof the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved plant feeder andmethod for feeding plants.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plant roots.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plant roots to fully develop their rootstructure after transplanting.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plants at the roots and below so as todevelop roots which will be able to reach downwardly into the earth forwater.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plant roots for nourishing transplantedtrees and other plants to develop a healthy root system.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plant roots at the root ball whichautomatically after a period of about a year cease to operate.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plants which is biodegradable into mulch.

It is finally an object of the invention to provide an improved plantfeeder and method for feeding plants which incorporates all of the abovefeatures of the invention.

In the broader aspects of the invention there is provided a plant feederhaving a water reservoir and a water conduit connected to the reservoirat one end. The other end of the water conduit is adapted to bepositioned adjacent the roots of a plant to be fed. The water conduithas a water permeable plug with water soluble plant food therein wherebywater can percolate through the conduit from the reservoir to the rootsdissolving plant food on its way, and air and insects are blocked frommigrating to the roots.

The method in its broader aspects provides placing the other conduit endof the plant feeder of the invention below the roots of a recentlytransplanted plant, percolating water from the reservoir to the rootsthrough water soluble plant food, and blocking the migration of air andinsects to the roots through the conduit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of the invention andthe manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the inventionitself will be better understood by reference to the followingdescription of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a broken away view of a small tree transplanted with the plantfeeder of the invention as shown in FIG. 2 properly installed;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view of of the plant feeder ofthe invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a commercial embodiment of the plantfeeder of the invention taken substantially along section line 2--2 ofFIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a plant feeder 10 shown inFIG. 2 diagrammatically to include a liquid reservoir 12 which isconnected by a conduit 14 to an air/insect block 16. Air/insect block 16is connected to a diffuser 18 by a conduit 20. Both conduits 14 and 20are equipped with a flow control shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 as avalve (flow control) 22 which limits the flow through conduits 14 and20, respectively.

Air/insect block 16 has a top 24 and a bottom 28. At the top 24,air/insect block 16 has a diffuser 26. Adjacent bottom 28, air/insectblock 16 has plant nutrients 30. Between the diffuser 26 and the plantnutrients 30, the air/insect block 16 has fertilizer 32.

By the improved plant feeder of the invention, water is collected withinthe reservoir 12 and passed through the conduit 14 to the air/insectblock 16. The flow of water through the conduit 14 is controlled by theflow control 22. Water exiting the conduit 14 into the air/insect block16 is diffused evenly over the cross-sectional area of the air/insectblock 16 by the diffuser 18 such that water percolates through thefertilizer 32 dissolving fertilizer 32 into the water and percolatesthrough the plant nutrients 30 dissolving the plant nutrients 30 intothe water. The solubility rates of fertilizer and plant nutrients aresuch that the resident time of liquid within the air/insect block 16provides to the water both fertilizer and plant nutrients in theappropriate amounts required by the plants to be fed. The dissolvedfertilizer 32 and plant nutrients 30 passes from the air/insect block 16through the conduit 20 to the diffuser 18 which allows the nutrient andfertilizer laden water to flow to the roots of a plant as shown inFIG. 1. The flow of the liquid through the conduit 20 is controlled bythe flow control 22. Flow controls 22 are set in accordance with theflow desired and the fertilizer and nutrients used.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-3, a commercial embodiment of the improvedplant feeder 40 of the invention is shown to include an elongated,hollow housing 42 of biodegradable material having an upper end 44 and alower end 46. Housing 42 has an exterior surface 48 and interior surface50 with a water permeable plug 52 positioned therein. Plug 52 extendsfrom adjacent end 46 to adjacent the median position 45 halfway betweenends 44, 46 of tubular housing 42. The placement of plug 52 adjacent end46 defines a water reservoir 53 adjacent end 44 extending from end 44 toplug 52. Tubular housing 42, in specific embodiments, may berectangular, square, or round or out of round in cross-section.

In a specific embodiment, the elongated tubular housing 42 may be acommercially available cardboard mailing tube which is approximately4.25 inches in diameter, has a wall thickness of 0.188 inches and is30.5 inches long. The cardboard tube 42 is totally biodegradable. In aspecific embodiment, the cardboard tube 42 is coated with abiodegradable plastic or wax coating 54 rendering the tube impervious towater and slowing the biodegradation of the cardboard tube such that thecardboard tube will remain intact, water impervious and fully functionalafter being planted below ground as shown in FIG. 1 for about 6 monthsto about 12 months in moist soil. In this specific embodiment, coating54 may be applied by dipping the tubular housing 42 into the coating 54in a fluid form (melt or solution) to completely superimpose coating 54over the entire exterior surface 48 and interior surface 50 of thehousing 42 and allowing the coating 54 to harden prior to positioningplug 52 within the housing 42.

Plug 52 includes a percolation control 56, a water soluble plant, anair/insect block 72, fertilizer component 62, a water soluble plantnutrient component 58, and a diffuser 60. Percolation control 56 in atubular housing of circular cross-section such as shown in FIG. 3 may beprovided by a pair of spaced apart, rigid disks 64 of fine filtermaterial which are wedged into the tubular housing 42 to completelyextend between the interior surface 50 and completely enclose theinterior passage of housing 42. One of the disks 64 is positionedadjacent the median position 45 of housing 42 and defines bottom 66 ofwater reservoir 53 and top 68 of plug 52. The other percolation control56 is positioned adjacent end 46 and defines bottom 70 of plug 52.

Percolation controls 56, in a specific embodiment, may be formed ofcompressed peat moss to the desired thickness necessary to control thepercolation of water through the tubular housing 42 at the desired rate.The desired rate depends upon the fertilizer 62 and plant nutrients 58used, their solubility in water, and the desired rate of feeding theroots of the plant. In all embodiments, the desired rate of percolationapproximates the desired feeding rate, and is always less than thatwhich will damage the roots. Disks 64 also act to retain the plantfertilizer 62 and nutrients 58 and the diffuser 60 therebetween withinhousing 42.

In specific embodiments having circular cross-sections, conventionalpeat pots are used for percolation controls 56. In the embodiment shownin FIG. 3, a peat pot is wedged into tubular housing 42 adjacent end 46with its open end downwardly facing, and an additional peat pot iswedged into tubular housing 42 with its open end upwardly facing end 44adjacent the median position 45. The side walls of the peat pot assistthe peat pot in being frictionally held at the proper position withintubular housing 42.

In one specific embodiment such as shown in FIG. 3 in which the tubularhousing 42 is about 30 inches long, the median peat pot is positionedapproximately 19.5 inches from the top end 44 of the tubular housing 42and the bottom peat pot is positioned about 3.8 inches from end 46 ofthe tubular housing 42 leaving a distance of about 7.2 inchestherebetween for the air/insect block 72 and the diffuser 60.

The air/insect block 72 is positioned between the percolation controls56 and includes three separately identifiable components. The componentclosest to end 44 is a plant food component. The component most adjacentend 46 is a diffuser component 60. The plant fertilizer component 62includes a plant nutrient component 58 and a plant fertilizer component62.

In the specific embodiment of FIG. 3, plant fertilizer component 62 isplaced adjacent the percolation control 56 which is adjacent the medianposition 45 of tubular housing 42. The diffuser 60 is positionedadjacent the percolation control disk 56 adjacent end 46. The plantnutrient component 58 is positioned between the plant fertilizercomponent 62 and the diffuser component 60. Together, the plantfertilizer component 62, the plant nutrient component 58 and thediffuser 60 comprise the air/insect block 72 through which neither airnor insects can migrate.

Specifically referring to the fertilizer component 62, this componentincludes water soluble, granular fertilizer material. In a specificembodiment, the fertilizer material is a mixture of nitrogen, phadjusters, bonemeal, phosphorus, vitamin B-12, ferrous sulfate andpotash having an analysis from about 5 to about 10, about 12 to about20, about 5 to about 10 in granular form.

To isolate the fertilizer 62 from the remaining components and the sidewalls, the particulate fertilizer material, in a specific embodiment, isplaced within a biodegradable container 70. In a specific embodiment,this container is a bag of cloth, paper, or other porous or solid, waterpermeable material. The bag isolates the fertilizer from housing 42 andalso prevents the particulate fertilizer material from moving axiallywith the flow of water through the housing 42. All of the fertilizer ismaintained in the fertilizer component 62 until dissolved by the waterpercolating therethrough.

In all embodiments, sufficient fertilizer is contained in fertilizercomponent 62 to provide fertilizer material by way of the water flowingthrough the same, dissolving a portion thereof, and transporting thedissolved portion to the roots for a period of time ranging from about 6months to about 12 months after the improved plant feeder 40 isinstalled. In specific embodiments, both the analysis of the fertilizerdiffers and the amount of fertilizer differs as to each specific plantwith which the plant feeder 40 is being used. The specific amount offertilizer ranges from about 3 to about 16 ounces of fertilizer.

In a specific embodiment, the diffuser component 60 comprises a plug ofrelatively coarse, biodegradable, or naturally occurring particulatematerial held between a coarse filter 74 and percolation control 56.Diffuser component 60 acts to disperse the liquid percolating throughthe plant feeder 40 to present to the roots moisture over the entirecross-section of housing 42. In a specific embodiment, the particulatefilter material may extend axially of housing 42 from about 2 inches toabout 6 inches and be of particulate material less than about 2 inchesin largest dimension, such as wood chips, paper pulp, gravel or thelike. In a specific embodiment, coarse filter 74 may be a disc of windowscreen.

Between the diffuser component 60 and the fertilizer component 62, is anutrient component 58. In a specific embodiment, component 58 comprisesa spongy filter tangled filament material compressed between thefertilizer component 62 and the diffuser component 60 intermixed withroot stimulators and plant starters and nutrients. The intertangledfilament material provides an inpenetrable air/insect block whichprevents air and insects from migrating from the atmosphere to theroots, while at the same time, through absorption and capillaryphenomena, allows the water to percolate at the rate controlled by thepercolation controls 56. The compressed intertangled filament filtermaterial also acts as both a sponge and a matrix to contain rootstimulators and plant starters and other nutrients, of both aparticulate and liquid variety. In a specific embodiment, these includeferrous sulfate, bonemeal and vitamin B12 and root stimulators such asplant starter, manufactured and distributed by Ortho Chemical Company.

In a specific embodiment, the spongy intertangled filament filtermaterial is a plug of sphagnum moss extending axially of the tubularhousing 42 about 2 to about 6 inches.

In looking at the comparable properties of the percolation controls 56,the air/insect block 72 and the various components 58, 60, 62 thereof,it is apparent that compressed spongy intertangled filament filtermaterial of the plant nutrient segment 58 is the least water permeableof all of the components and is impervious to air and insects, butallows water to percolate therethrough by capillary action and is arelatively fine rather than coarse filter material allowing only thatwhat is soluble in the water to percolate therethrough. The percolationcontrols 56, on the other hand, are more pervious to air than thecompressed intertangled filament filter material of component 58, butless pervious to air than the particulate fertilizer of fertilizercomponent 62 and still further less pervious to air than the relativelycoarse, particulate material of the diffuser component 60. In contrast,the compressed intertangled filament filter material which is the mostimpervious to the passage of air therethrough is less pervious to thepercolation of water therethrough than the percolation controls 56.However, both the particulate fertilizer material and the particulatematerial of the diffuser 60 are more pervious to the flow of water thanthe compressed intertangled filament filter material of the component58.

Thus, the intertangled filament filter material of component 58 or thecombination of the diffuser component 60, the nutrient component 58, andthe fertilizer component 62 can be referred to as an air block or anair/insect block 72, inasmuch as that section of the plug 52 within thehousing 42 of the plant feeder 40 is totally impervious to air flow.Similarly, the disks 64 can be called percolation controls because theyare the least permeable to water flow through the housing 42 whencompared to the fertilizer component 62, the nutrient component 58 orthe diffuser component 60.

In use, the plant feeder 10 is buried with the root ball of atransplanted plant shown in FIG. 1. End 46 of the plant feeder 10 of theinvention is positioned adjacent the lower end of the root ball. Upperend 44 of the plant feeder 10 is positioned above ground level. In aspecific embodiment, approximately half of the plant feeder 10 is aboveground and one-quarter of the plant feeder 10 is below ground.

The portion of plant feeder 10 between upper end 14 and the percolationcontrol 56 adjacent the median position 45 defines a water reservoir 53which is filled upon installation. Reservoir 53, in a specificembodiment, will contain approximately one gallon of water. Thepercolation controls 56 and the air/insect block 16 allow water topercolate from the water reservoir 53 through the housing 42 to theroots of the plant. The percolation of water through the housing 42 isalways less than the percolation of ground water through the soil to theroots. However, by the percolation of the water through the housing 42,fertilizer from the fertilizer component 32 is dissolved in the waterand plant nutrients from the nutrient component 30 are dissolved in thewater, and both the fertilizer and nutrients are delivered to the rootsevenly through the diffuser 60.

As the water flows through the plant feeder 10 at the rate controlled bythe percolation controls 56 the water dissolves the fertilizer andnutrients and delivers the same in an even flow throughout thecross-section of the housing 42 through the diffuser component 60 to theroots of the plant. Inasmuch as the percolation is relatively slow, nosoil is eroded from the roots. Since the majority of moisture to theroots is supplied by ground water percolating through the soil, theroots are amply supplied moisture by ground water. However, since theplant feeder 10 of the invention provides not only some moisture, butmost of the nutrients, fertilizer and the like to the lower segment ofthe roots, the roots are urged to grow downwardly to provide a healthyroot growth which can withstand drought while at the same time eliminatethe problems of stress and trauma associated with uprooting a plant fromone environment and transplanting it to another environment.

By the plant feeder 10 of the invention, the root structure of a healthyplant can be regenerated after transplanting so that healthy leafstructure will result. The root system and the leaf structure willdevelop faster with the plant feeder 10 of the invention than withoutany feeding device. Within 6 to 12 months, the plant feeder 10 of theinvention stops functioning, biodegradates into mulch, disappears andneeds no further attendance.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein for purposes of illustration, the protection affordedby any patent which may issue upon this application is not strictlylimited to the disclosed embodiment; but rather extends to allstructures and arrangements which fall fairly within the scope of theclaims which are appended hereto:

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for feeding plants comprising the stepsof providing a housing having opposite open ends, placing one housingend below ground and adjacent the roots of a plant, placing the otherhousing end above ground, percolating water through said housing fromabove ground to said roots using a water permeable plug positionedwithin said housing and defining with said housing a water reservoirhaving vacant space between said plug and said other above ground endand an above ground fill opening at said other above ground housing end,said housing having exterior walls generally impervious to water flow,whereby water flows from said water reservoir longitudinally throughsaid housing and out said one below ground open end, said plug having apercolation control therein which controls the rate of water flowthrough said housing, whereby water from said water reservoir anddissolved plant food may be percolated through said housing anddelivered to the roots of a plant at a desired feeding rate.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising a diffuser in said housing adjacentsaid other end, said diffuser spreading generally evenly the flow ofwater over the cross-section of said housing.
 3. The method of claim 2wherein said diffuser is a plug of compressed peat moss within saidhousing.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said plug of compressed peatmoss is a conventional peat pot.
 5. The method of claim 2 wherein saiddiffuser is a plug of packed particulate material within said housing.6. The method of claim 5 wherein said particulate material is chosenfrom the group consisting of wood chips, paper pulp, gravel, andcombinations thereof.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said percolationcontrol is a plug of compressed peat moss.
 8. The method of claim 7wherein the percolation control is a conventional peat pot within saidhousing.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step ofblocking the flow of air and the migration of insects through saidhousing using an air/insect block in said housing, said air/insect blockbeing positioned between said reservoir and said other end, saidair/insect block having a percolation control and a diffuser on oppositesides thereof.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said air/insect blockcomprises a plug of packed water soluble plant food.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 wherein said plant food includes fertilizer having an analysisfrom about 5 to about 10 Nitrogen, from about 12 to about 20Phosphorous, from about 5 to about 10 Potash.
 12. The method of claim 11wherein said fertilizer is isolated from said housing by a container.13. The method of claim 12 wherein said container is chosen from thegroup consisting of paper and cloth bags.
 14. The method of claim 10wherein said plant food is chosen from the group consisting of phadjusters, nitrogen suppliers, potash, phosphorus, nutrients, andcombinations thereof.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said nutrientsare chosen from the group consisting of sphagnum moss, Vitamin B-12,bonemeal and Ferrous Sulphate.
 16. The method of claim 10 wherein saidplant food includes nutrients, said nutrients being held in said housingby a matrix capable of holding both fluid and particulate materials. 17.The method of claim 16 wherein said matrix is a plug of compressedsphagnum moss within said container.
 18. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the step of blocking the flow of air and the migration ofinsects through said housing using an air/insect block in said housing,said housing being a cardboard tube, said percolation control andair/insect block and plant food being in the lower portion of said tube,said upper portion of said tube being said water reservoir.
 19. Themethod of claim 18 wherein said tube and every element therein isbiodegradable.
 20. The method of claim 18 wherein said tube is coatedwith a material rendering said tube impervious to water andbiodegradable in wet soil over a period of time ranging from about 6months to 12 months.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said coatingmaterial is chosen from the group consisting of waxes and polymericmaterials.
 22. The method of claim 1 wherein the percolation of waterthrough said plant feeder is approximately the desired feeding rate. 23.The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of blocking the flowof air and the migration of insects through said housing using anair/insect block in said housing, said air/insect block comprising apercolation control, a diffuser, plant fertilizer, and plant nutrientsin the form of plugs stacked contiguous to each other within saidhousing.
 24. A method for feeding plants comprising the steps ofproviding an elongated housing having opposite open ends, placing onehousing end below ground and adjacent the roots of a plant, placing theother housing end above ground, percolating water through said housingfrom above ground to said roots and blocking the flow of air and themigration of insects through said housing using a water permeable plugpositioned within said housing adjacent said below ground end definingwith said housing a water reservoir and an above ground fill opening atsaid other above ground open end, said housing having exterior wallsimpervious to water flow, whereby water flows from said water reservoirlongitudinally through said housing and out said below ground open end,said plug having a percolation control therein which controls the rateof water flow through said housing, said plug having water soluble plantfood therein whereby water from said water reservoir and dissolved plantfood may be percolated through said housing and delivered to the rootsof a plant to be fed at a desired feeding rate, said housing having anair/insect block therein which inhibits the flow of air and themigration of insects through said housing, said air/insect block beingpositioned between said reservoir and said below ground end.
 25. Themethod of claim 24 wherein said plant food is chosen from the groupconsisting of ph adjusters, nitrogen suppliers, potash, phosphorus,nutrients, and combinations thereof.
 26. The method of claim 24 whereinsaid plant food includes nutrients, said nutrients being held in saidhousing by a matrix capable of holding both fluid and particulatematerials.
 27. The method of claim 26 wherein said nutrients are chosenfrom the group consisting of sphagnum moss, Vitamin B-12, Bonemeal andFerrous Sulphate.
 28. The method of claim 24 wherein said plant foodincludes fertilizer having an analysis from about 5 to about 10Nitrogen, from about 12 to about 20 Phosphorous, from about 5 to about10 Potash.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said fertilizer isisolated from said housing by a container.
 30. The method of claim 29wherein said container is chosen from the group consisting of paper andcloth bags.
 31. The method of claim 24 wherein said housing is acardboard tube, said percolation control and air/insect block and plantfood being in the lower portion of said tube, said upper portion of saidtube being said water reservoir.
 32. The method of claim 31 wherein saidtube and every element therein is biodegradable.
 33. The method of claim31 wherein said tube is coated with a material rendering said tubeimpervious to water and biodegradable in wet soil over a period of timeranging from about 6 months to 12 months.
 34. The method of claim 33wherein said coating material is chosen from the group consisting ofwaxes and polymeric materials.